


The Water Settles, And Then Trembles

by Bam4Me



Series: He's a Good Boy [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - BDSM, Animal Play, Arthur Finds Out, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic, Arthur Knows About Morgana's Magic, Canon Era, F/F, Fix-It, M/M, Magic Postivity, Magic Revealed, Merlin's Magic Revealed, Morgana's magic revealed, Multi, Pet Play, Puppy Play, Puppy!Merlin, Switch!Gwen, Switch!Morgana, dom!Arthur, ot4 endgame, seer!morgana, sub!Merlin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-07 07:43:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10355496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bam4Me/pseuds/Bam4Me
Summary: Merlin was a good boy, promise. It's Arthur who thinks he should be doing things that he really doesn't want to do. Like, not spending the entire day at his side, because apparently, pets should be spoiled and pampered and don't need to sit in on boring meetings. Merlin thinks that anything that takes him away from Arthur's side for too long -see, any time at all- is useless and not to be trusted.They're going to have to fix that.





	

**Author's Note:**

> It is writ.
> 
> littlesforfandom.tumblr.com
> 
> Again, subtle reminders; There will be sexual puppy play in this series. This fic itself, has none. Merlin/Arthur/Morgana/Gwen is endgame. Believe in the magic of OT4. They are a powerful magic. If these are not your thing, walk away now. They're going to happen, and you won't be happy about it, please don't say you weren't warned.

Merlin was a puppy, that fact has been established by now, but the thing is, Arthur thinks he might be a  _ really _ young puppy, because whenever Arthur tried to get stern with him, he either looked like he’d been told ‘no treats forever’, or he’d get that confused look on his face before doing exactly what Arthur just told him not to.

 

“Merlin, no-” Whatever else Arthur was going to say was cut off when the pup took him by surprise, leaning up on his front paws and sending Arthur to the ground. He can’t even let his guard down around the excitable little thing. “Merlin,  _ no _ , we don’t  _ push _ .”

 

Merlin let out a whine, but it didn’t sound sorry at all, still leaning in so he could lick at Arthur’s face while it was closer now. He had  _ missed _ his owner while he’d been gone, can’t Arthur understand that?

 

Arthur was all, ‘ _ be a good boy, Merlin _ ’ and ‘ _ don’t cause issues for Morgana and Gwen while I’m in meetings this afternoon, Merlin _ ’ and ‘ _ good boys don’t push people over for kisses, Merlin _ .’

 

What about what  _ Merlin _ wants, huh? Merlin has needs! Merlin was a  _ good boy _ all day today, now he misses his owner and he needs that comfort. They were apart  _ all day _ . Merlin hated it. It’s not okay.

 

If he wanted to be apart from Arthur all day, he would have just quit being his servant! He didn’t want to be away from Arthur… he doesn’t want to be a puppy if that meant he wasn’t allowed to be with Arthur while he was doing things that puppies shouldn’t be in on.

 

He tried communicating that through a series of soft whines while he nuzzled into Arthur’s neck. Arthur seemed to get it, when he let out a little sigh and reached up to give Merlin neck and ear scritches - which were his favorite, please and thank you. “You missed me while I was gone, huh?”

 

“You two have known each other for less than half a year, you’re already having issues being your own person while the other one is gone.”

 

Morgana and Gwen finally caught up with the two of them, entering Arthur’s room without knocking. Neither seemed apologetic at all. Arthur glared up at Morgana without letting go of Merlin.

 

“I thought you two were going to be teaching him commands? I’d say they aren’t working.”

 

Gwen snorted once, arms crossed, obviously upset with him. He didn’t know why, but she always got upset when people didn’t understand puppies the way she could. She said they aught not to be flounced around like a prized pet by nobles and lords who didn’t even know the first thing about proper pup care.

 

Well… she was probably thinking of her brother. Her brother who’d left, and was nowhere to be seen anymore. Her brother, who like her and Morgana, was a switch.

 

Her brother had left after that horrible incident with the Lady who tried to claim him.

 

Gwen didn’t want Merlin to leave too.

 

“He knows his commands, but he’s having a hard time focusing with his owner always foisting him off on someone else while he’s in a vulnerable headspace.”

 

Okay, yes, Arthur feels very guilty about that now. He gently pried Merlin’s face out of his neck and moved to stand up. Merlin just whined at him though, so Arthur pulled at his neckerchief till Merlin followed him to the bed. He got the pup settled up there and sat down next to him with a heaving sigh.

 

“What do you suggest I do, then? My advisers let him into meetings with me while he was still my personal servant, but he’s just a pup right now, he has no need to sit in on boring meetings and take notes for me. That’s what I have George for now.”

 

George, who is a surprisingly good servant actually, and who was none of the defiance that seemed to make up Merlin as a whole.

 

Morgana didn’t seem swayed though. “Arthur, you can’t honestly be that dumb. He’s a  _ pet _ . You can take him wherever you decide to, and no one can stop you, because you are the prince. If they ask you why you bring him to meetings, tell them that he’s a pet and couldn’t  _ possibly _ understand what the humans are talking about. At least, they’ll think you’re a shallow asshole who believes pets to be inhuman idiots, at most, they’ll see it for the excuse that it is and assume you simply spoil him too much.”

 

Which, to be fully honest, he does. So, not much of a stretch.

 

Arthur looked between the girls and Merlin, who was giving him big eyes, a pleading look that bordered desperate, and knew he couldn’t tell him no. He really did spoil his pet.

 

“Alright, but I need to go train my new knights right now, which means we need to be in the courtyard. Will you two be coming with, because I can’t be there to watch him if he gets bored and wanders off.”

 

Morgana looked over at Gwen with a little smile, and Gwen grinned back at her. “I’ll go get a maid to pack us a basket for a picnic and some blankets.”

 

And Morgana’s sword would probably end up with the two of them as well, seeing as Arthur’ favorite way to get cocky new recruits to stop being so smug over themselves, is to see them beat by a  _ girl _ of all things, and Morgana loved beating them up for him.

 

***

 

Merlin was more relaxed outside than he had been all morning. He always did much better with Arthur in his line of sight, safe in case Merlin needed to protect him.

 

Arthur had always found the way Merlin insisted on protecting him to be odd. For a submissive, a servant,  _ and _ a skinny twig of a boy who couldn’t even hold his own against a knight, it was an odd need, to protect his own Dom, the prince of the kingdom of Camelot.

 

Well, at least Arthur had stopped looking at him so strangely since he’d come out as a pup. Apparently, instead of finding Merlin baffling like before, Arthur thought it was  _ cute _ now. Of course he did, the cute little puppy who thinks he’s a big bad guard dog and needs to protect his master.

 

Really, to Arthur, Merlin wasn’t much more than a lady’s lap pet. Which is why Merlin decided to take advantage of that, and was lounging across Gwen’s legs while the maid read to him from a new book Morgana had gotten. It was a nice book, an old story about magical faries.

 

Merlin wondered why they had a book like that, but he didn’t mind, curling up into Gwen’s arms while he listened. He was sleepy in the afternoon sunlight. He let her words come to him a little sluggishly while he tried to keep his eyes open.

 

He didn’t succeed.

 

***

 

When Merlin woke up, Gwen wasn’t the only one with him. Morgana was using her nice scratchy nails to give him such lovely head scritches and it made him feel all warm and fluffy inside. Still though, he shook her hand off and started sitting up from his place across Gwen’s lap, standing on the picnic blanket with a soft groan at his stretching muscles. He gave himself a minute to just stretch while Morgana and Gwen -and Leon, apparently, because he was apparently, a friend of theirs- all watched him in amusement, interested in the way that Merlin always seemed to go from asleep to fully awake in seconds.

 

Merlin decided to ignore them for now, and slipped off of the blanket, lazily sauntering off to where Arthur was talking with two of the new knights. Merlin hoped Arthur wasn’t chewing them out for something, because this wasn’t going to make him seem like much of a hardass.

 

He slid up behind the prince, both arms going around Arthur’s waist while he tiredly hid a yawn in the back of Arthur’s neck. Arthur paused, before giving a small sigh, and finishing his sentence and turning so he could see Merlin behind him.

 

“Must you?”

 

Merlin seemed to give that some honest thought, before leaning in and licking a stripe from Arthur’s chin to ear lobe. It didn’t taste the freshest, since he hasn’t had his usual bath to freshen up after practice, but it still taste like Arthur, and if Merlin had a tail, it would be wagging.

 

One of the new young knights gave a cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh -as if any noble would laugh at the prince- and Arthur gave him a short glare, noting that he quickly turned away so he wasn’t looking at them anymore.

 

Arthur sighed. This is your life, when you have affectionate pets. Merlin would never be deterred. Arthur turned to look over to where Leon was sitting with the girls still. Arthur’s second in command was grinning at him, a cheeky thing that looked overly playful. “I thought I told you to watch him.”

 

Leon shrugged. “I can see him from here.”

 

Arthur sighed again, and turned Merlin around, gently prying his arms off of him. “Go sit with Leon, he’ll give you attention. I’m nearly done here.”

 

Merlin let out an unhappy little whine at that, looking offended. He had come all the way over here -ignoring happy head scritches, mind you- just to be with Arthur, and Arthur  _ turns him away like some two bit gutter trash _ ? How rude? He can’t believe this.

 

He gave Arthur what he hoped was an impressive glare -that came out more like a sulky pout- and stomped back over towards the picnic blanket, smooshing himself in between Morgana and Leon, who both grunted at the way he wormed himself in there, giving no mind to the elbows that ended up in their sides.

 

He’s not happy right now, can’t they see that? Arthur has  _ abandoned _ him. It’s really rude of him.

 

He waited until Arthur turned back to his new recruits -looking regretful, good, he needs to  _ know _ what he’s done- before Merlin turned to Leon, pushing into his space so he could sprawl out over his lap, looking -hopefully- cute. Leon was a sub, but he was also very susceptible to other subs, as long as they were cute. He also liked it the most when Arthur told him to watch Merlin, because he liked following orders. He was a good pet sitter when Morgana and Gwen were off doing whatever boring stuffs that girls do all day long.

 

They must be playing with each other all day, because some days they simply  _ didn’t _ have the time for Merlin. That was upsetting, and Merlin didn’t want to think about that, so he curled up in between Leon’s legs as well as he could, and gave the knight a nip to his fingers when the other sub moved to pet him. It was a good nip, the kind you only give to the best of people. Usually, Arthur would bop his nose and tell him not to give nips, but he just didn’t understand that these nips were for the people he  _ loved _ .

 

Leon understands though, and smiles down at him before moving to give him nice chin scritches that feel so good.

 

Arthur just didn’t understand.

 

***

 

“Merlin, did I do something to upset you?”

 

Arthur and Merlin were walking back to Arthur’s rooms, -well,  _ their _ rooms, to be honest, since Merlin is basically living there now- and Merlin isn’t acting his usual, clingy,  _ please never leave me I love you _ self. 

 

Ever since Merlin started settling into his new headspace, he’s been a bit clingy towards people, almost confused and needy in this new strange world he’s found himself in. He’s found himself treated differently, not only by Arthur, Morgana and Gwen, but by the knights, and other servants, even a few of the commoners. Of course, Guias still tended to treat him the same, getting Merlin to help him with his potions and work on learning his magic like he should, forcing him to help him deliver medicine and learn how to make it.

 

Of course he’s still the same, but other people were different now. No longer is he Prince Arthur’s  _ manservant _ , nothing more than a kicking boy for the prince and other servants -other servants who wanted that position for themselves- to treat like crap, now he was Prince Arthur’s spoiled, coddled pet. Now, it was like going from commoner to noble overnight. Now, people treated him like he was nothing more than any other’s lord’s besotted pet. He was all at once, higher than they are… but also, he was lower. It was as if he’s gained both respect and pity in equal folds.

 

He was respected, as would any pet of the royal family be… but he was just that; a pet. He wasn’t smart enough to think for himself. He wasn’t cunning enough to deceive anyone. He wasn’t magical, because how could someone so pure and sweet and needing love and attention, be evil to their core.

 

He wasn’t human.

 

He let out a little sigh, turning away from the corridor leading back to Arthur’s rooms, and started going in the other direction towards Morgana’s, at the other end of the hall. He knew that it wasn’t the worst thing in the world, and Uther, now under the suspicion that Merlin was nothing more than a pet, wouldn’t ever try to replace him, at least. But it still grated on his mind. Morgana was quickly becoming the one he came to when he was stressed. There was just something about her that  _ got it _ .

 

Maybe it was a product of being the ward of the king. Not a royal herself, only a noble, but suddenly untouchable by anyone else, because she was just that; the ward of the king. She just always seemed to understand. He felt a connection with her that way. They were connected somehow, he still wasn’t fully sure how, but he thinks it’s because of her being a ward.

 

_ Or maybe _ , he thought, as he opened the door to Morgana’s rooms with a short knock to signal his presence, a routine that he’s long since gotten into when Morgana had told him he was welcome any time,  _ it was because she had magic too _ .

 

***

 

Merlin stood in the doorway to Morgana’s room for a full five seconds, just taking in the scene before him. If anyone else had come in here, she would have had to explain a lot, but no one else could have  _ felt _ what he does right now. He could feel his skin tingling with the wave of powerful magic, and even see her eyes glow for a half a second before he suddenly heard footsteps behind him coming down the hallway and remembered Arthur.

 

_ Arthur _ , who had followed him to Morgana’s room.  _ Arthur _ , who was the prince of Camelot, the king’s son.  _ Arthur _ , who was honor bound to report all acts of sorcery to his father, no matter who had committed it.

 

Merlin moved out of the doorway and nearly slammed it shut behind him, finally getting Morgana and Gwen’s attention from where they were sitting at her table over a set of scrying stones, watching them intently.

 

“Merlin!”

 

Merlin pressed back against the door for a second, and could hear Arthur’s footsteps speeding up, obviously sure that something was wrong. “Why would you do that, you can’t just  _ have those out _ while anyone could come in here, Morgana, you could get in trouble. You too, Gwen.”

 

The girls looked at each other for a few seconds, and Merlin could see the panic starting to rise. Obviously, they hadn't expected him to recognize anything afoul.

 

“We weren’t doing anything with them, we just…” Morgana paused, obviously bad at lying when caught off guard. “I only wanted to see if they really were magic. Of course, I think it’s rubbish, they’re just a set of stones-”

 

Arthur knocked on Morgana’s door then, loud in the almost silent room, stopping Morgana’s otherwise weak protests.

 

“Not magic, is right, they’re just stones. It’s  _ you _ who’s magic. What if Arthur had walked in instead of me? He’d already have you shackled in the dungeons right now!”

 

Morgana and Gwen looked at each other again, this time differently.

 

“Morgana, open the door, I saw Merlin going in there. I need to see him. I know he’s upset about something right now, but I just need to see that he’s okay.”

 

Gwen answered this time, but not to Arthur. “How could you tell, Merlin?”

 

Merlin shrugged, looking unimpressed with them. “I could feel it. I’ve done it myself, I know what it feels like.”

 

You could hear a pin drop in the room for a good ten seconds before Arthur started knocking on the door again. “Morgana, open up before I knock this door down, it’s not funny.”

 

Morgana sighed, and got up from the table, moving past Merlin to the door and yanking it open, making Merlin stumble, and Arthur startle. “He’s fine. Get in here.”

 

Arthur frowned at her, but didn’t say anything as he followed her into the room, arms crossed. He saw Merlin -who was, for the first time today, notably  _ not _ in headspace- and Merlin could see that twitch in his left eye that he got when he was getting annoyed.

 

He looked over towards Gwen sitting at the table, and his eyes ended up locked on the scrying stones scattered there. He blinked, once, twice, and then looked over to where Merlin was still standing, looking awkward.

 

“What happened?”

 

Morgana crossed her arms at him. “What happened, is you didn’t tell us Merlin has magic too.”

 

Arthur looked over at Merlin with big eyes, and after a few seconds, he opened up his mouth to speak. “I didn’t know.”

 

They all looked over at Merlin now, who scowled at the three of them. “That’s because I’m obviously better at hiding it than you are.”

 

Morgana seemed to consider taking offense to that, but she really couldn’t. She sighed. “Merlin, none of us are going to say anything.”   
  


Merlin nodded. “Of course not, it’d be stupid, since I’m probably more powerful than you anyways.”

 

She did narrow her eyes at that, and Arthur let out a suspicious sounding cough. “Are you now?”

 

He shrugged. “You’re a Seer, aren’t you? I’m… different.”

 

She didn’t actually know enough about different types of magic to confirm or deny that, but she had half a mind to say that Merlin was bluffing her.

 

Or maybe, he was bluffing, but it wasn’t really a lie.

 

He turned to Arthur. “How’d you figure out?”

 

Arthur shrugged. “Kids aren’t very good at keeping secrets. We were young enough that my father’s bigotry hadn’t gotten to me yet.”

 

“Ahh.” Well, that was nice to know, that Arthur apparently didn’t have the same ideas as Uther. He’d make a great king.

 

Merlin was quiet for a for more moments, chewing on his bottom lip, before curiosity seemingly got the better of him, and he asked, what was probably a stupid question. “So, does the dragon living under the castle talk to you too? He’s kind of annoying, I want to know how to make him stop.”

 

The room was quiet for another minute, before Arthur finally burst, looking halfway between horrified and astounded. “What?”

 

Merlin cringed, unable to look any of them in the eyes. “Oh, I’m gonna guess that’s only me?”

 

“Yeah, probably. What does he say?”

 

Merlin shrugged. “He rambles a lot. Talks about killing your father, burning Camelot to the ground, usual dragon stuff I guess. He thinks me and Arthur are soulmates, so that’s a plus, I guess.”

 

Arthur looked halfway between happy and angry, like he just wasn’t sure which way to go with that. Finally, he settled on a frown. “I don’t think you should be talking to him.”

 

“You don’t think I haven’t asked him to shut up?”

 

Arthur sighed, finally reeling Merlin in by one of those skinny arms, tugging him into his side so he could pull his idiot down and press a kiss to his soft hair. “Well, no matter what, you’re safe with us, okay?”

 

Merlin nodded, shoulders relaxing before his muscles started melting into Arthur’s hold. “Thank you.”

**Author's Note:**

> littlesforfandom.tumblr.com


End file.
